Collapsible tube.



U. THOMPSON, JR. COLLAPSIBLE TUBE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1915.

Patented June 20, 1916.

paw-HI illfll lAliliilflla lallglrvitluvinvlliiiviivil .ilnllnulllliin. lililviillillllwiuillull b Jr., a citizen of dent of Hartford, in the ULDJRIIC THOMPSON, JR F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

COLLAPSIBLE TUBE.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ULDRIC THoM'PsoN,

the United States, and resic ounty of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Collapsible, Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

. This invention relates to collapsible tubes such as are commonly used as containers for.

tooth pastes, adhesives, greases and the like.

Although other materials have heretofore been suggested, the tubes of this general type in common use are almost universally made of tin or of alloys or composition material which have been found to be adapted to preservethe contents and at the same time withstand the I chemical action of certain ingredient or ingredients of the contents. These tubes have for many reasons proved unsatisfactory in service both tomanufacturers and-users, two

of the principal objections being that they or folded up 1n service as the contents are break open.

lit is the principal object of this invention to provide a collapsible tube of this general the line 22, Fig. 1,

type wherein the body portion is made of a comparatively inexpensive material, such for example as paper or cloth properly treated and prepared, if necessary, to preserve the contents and resist injurious chemical action. This and other objects of my invention are hereinafter 'more particularly referred to.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate certain embodiments of my invention -Fig ure 1 is a side elevation of my improved tube; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View on partly broken away; Fig. 3 is a detail view of the body portion of the tube; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4,. Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a.

stiffener; Fig. 6 is an edge view thereof; Fig. 7 is aside view of the top of thetube; Fig. 8 'is a plan view thereof; Fig; 9 is a of a clamping ring'; Fig. 10 is a 13 are diagrammatic representations of differ'entymethods of securing the top and body portion of the tube A is the body portion of the" compressible tube made of a non-metallic material, preferably cloth paraflined or otherwise treated,

if necessary, so as to be substantially air tight and to resist any injurious chemical Specification of Letters Patent.

the body as clearly shown in top of the tube is made used tend to with an outlet slot C action of the particular contents for which the tube is intended. The said body is provided' with a vertically-extended pocket A havlng aslit or opening a on the outside of said body near the bottom thereof, and. a similar slit or opening a'on the inside of said body near its top. Within said pocket isa stiffening strip B of ductile metal adapted to resist distortion and to retain the folds as they are made from time to,time as the contents are used. One end of said strip extends upward through said slit a and is turned over to form a hook *B, and its other end extending downward through said slit 0, is provided with a head or fastening clip B preferably formed integral therewith, as shown, and adapted to secure the folded bottom edges of Fig. 2. The of any suitable ma terial, preferably metal, and consists in its preferred form of a shell C having an in tegral annular flange C provided with a slot 0. The said top is further provided adapted to be closed by a cap or plate D pivotally secured on said top and having an inset or projection 03 adapted to cooperate with said delivery opening C? removably to hold said cap in closed position. While I prefer the cap shown, it will be understood that if desired the ordinary screw cap may be employed.

In securing said body portion A and said top C, the upper edge of'the body portion is turned over the flange-C and the hook B of the stifl'ening strip B secured in the slot 0. A holder or ring E, U-shaped in cross section, is then placed over the flange C and the edge of the body which extends over said flange, so that when said ring E is in position, as shown in Fig. 2, its inner rim 6 grips the turned over edge of the bodywhich passes under it and holds it in engagement with said flange. The said ring E is secured in position by a fastening ring S of solder or the like which is run into the space between said ring E and said shell G. Preferably, as shown, the said shell isprovided with indentations I,into which the solder may run and so be firmly held.

' Figs. 11, 12 and 13 show diagrammatically alternative methods of securing the top and body portion. ,InFig. 11 the edge of the body A is merely turned over the flange C which is thereupon crimlped to secure the top and body. In Fig. 12 t e top and body are Patented June so, rare. Application filed April 1, 1915. serial lt'o. 18,597. I

secured as in Fig; 1 1 and a rin F is added for further security and to glve the tube as a whole a finished a pearance. In Fig.

13a ring R of Wire or t e like is placed inmade when coated if necessary with paraflin or the like, is well adapted to preserve the substances usually offered for sale in tubes of this type and to resist damage from the chemical ingredients employed. Furthermore, my improved tube is readily compressible and has no tendency to break open when folded or rolled up as the contents are used, according to the common practice.

I claim: 1. A tube for plastic material comprising a top having an outlet, a cap for said outlet' and a non-metallic foldable body. portion provided with a longitudinally extending, foldable stiffener adapted to resist dis- .tortions of the tube when full and to retain the folds of said body portion as the tube is emptied.

2. A tube for plastic materials comprising a top having an outlet, a cap for said outlet, a foldable non-metallic body portion provided with a longitudinally extending, foldable stifl'ener, and afastener at the end of said stiffener to secure an end of said body.

. 3. A tube for plastic materials comprislng a top having an outlet, a cap for said outlet, a flange on said top, a non-metallic body portion having its upper end extending over said flange, a holder extending on both sides of said flange adapted to hold said said flange, a ring extending on both sides of said flange adapted to grip and hold said body in engagement with said flange, and means to'secure said ring and'said top.

5. A tube for plastic materials comprising a top having an outlet, a cap for said outlet, a flange on sai top, a non-metallic body portion having a longitudinally extending, foldable stiffener engaging said flange, and

means to secure said body and'said top.

6. A tube for plastic materials comprising a top having an outlet, a cap for said -outlet, a flange. on said top, a non-metallic body portion having its upper end extending over said flange and provided with a longitudinally extending, foldable stiffener engaging said flange, a ring adapted to hold said body in engagement with said flange, and means to secure said ring and said top. 7. A tube for plastic materials comprising a top having an outlet, a cap for said outlet, a flange on said top, a non-metallic body portion having its upper end extending over said flange and provided with a longitudinally extending, foldable stiffener engaging said flange, a ring adapted to hold said body in engagement with said flange, means to secure said ring and said top, and a fastener secured to said stiflener and adapted to secure an end of said body.

Signed by me at Hartford, Connecticut, this twenty-seventh day of March. 1915.

ULDRIG THOMPSON, JR. Witnesses:

' JOHN JrONElIL,

ROBERT P. BUTLER. 

